The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1887-12-15

NutHlA n NJ tlT i1uIitt-iioW dlu 9Ou
know, then, he was the principaf A. l was
told. Q. Who told your A. Ben Hopkins.
CINCINNATI, Dec. THE eighth day OF the
great trial was interesting Maurice Rosenfeld,
a Chicago provision broker, who handled the
Chicago end OF Harpers wheat deal in the early
months OF this year, verified the ynrious drafts
drawn by his firm on the Fidelity National
Bank. The checks were all signed Wiltshire,
Eckert Co. The point OF Mr.. Rosenfelds tes-
timony was that at that time--January, Feb
ruary and March-ihe name OF tho Fidelity
Bank was freely nsed 10 give an appearance OF
substantabilty 10 the credit OF Wiltshire, Eek
ert &Co
Howard Eekert, wilshirc's partner in the
brokerage business, was recalled. His testi-
mony was one OF the mediums through which
the Government sought to show Harpers con;
neoilon with the deal as principal, which was
done. His testimony shows that the amount OF
wheat bought by HIS firm for u, l.. Harper was,
up 10 the LIST OF June, 100000 bushels OF cash
wheat and 100000 bushels for future delivery
after July. Wiltshire, Eckert 4 Co. remitted 10
Kershaw & Co. about 100000 for this wheat.
This money came from the Fidelity Bank.
Assistant Receiving Teller Hinch was once
more recalled TO the stand, at the request Of the
defense. He furnished list OF all the interest
checks for renewals OF notes paid by J. w VIII
shire. and Wiltshire. Eckert a Company. The
check for t25o0O0, entered June 20, was subsu-
tuted for number Of other checks for smaller
amounts. In answer TO questions by Judge
Wilson, Mr.. Tinch stated that checks were a-
ways put through the Clearing house un-
less he received instructions 10 the con
irary, on the day they we're dated; and
when Wiltshire, Eckert & Company's checks
were dated ahead he always asked Harper
for instructions rs TO whether or not he should
put them through the Clearing house at once
In relation TO the check for t2s 600 10 the cred
eafU n, stat
ed that charges were made against this aggre-
eating tl7b,0d0. Afterwards hen Hopkins lifted
ont this check for tsso,o0o replacing It with two
checks Al the afternoon session OF court Mr..
Hlneh presented the daily statement book OF
the hank and the tellers scratcher. The daily
statement was an ornamental record for the In
spoction Of tho bank oficcrs. The book was
Kept by Miss Holmes. The daily statement
bool; was supposed 10 show the daily amount Of
cash ns distinguished from ''cash items, " In the
possession Of the receivers. The entries in the
daily statement books ns 20 the
cash and "cash items" should
have corresponded with the figures on the
tcllers scrntcher, but in this case II did not do
40 by about half amillion dollars. Mr. Hinch
took up the daily statement book and compared
the entries therein with the entries on the tell.
er's scratcher. ON June II, as an Illustration,
the actual cash items held by the bank aggre-
gnted taai .G.hl.7i. but the dnily statement book
kept by Miss Holmes showed that the cash items
amounted TO but t5s6,s75.s2. On June n tho
actual cash items as shown by the teller's
scraicher aggregated saJi -2s0,65, but the daily
statement book showed the directors that the
cash items amounted TO only Si7i, sIs.iI. During
the Inst ten days Of the banks existence the
average daily discrepancy between the daily
statement and the teller's scratcher was
$4,000
Frank NJ Hays, expert accountant, called.
Mr. HAYS Testimony was wholly corroborative
and coniirmative OF the testimony given by the
book keepers and clerks OF the bank who pre-
coded him on the stand. II was critical and
corroborative resume OF the testimony adduced
by the Government during the seven preceding
days OF the trial. II detailed with great and
minute accuracy how the funds were switched
from the Fidelity Bank on wiltshire Eckcrt &
Co. checks to Chicngo how the drafts that
were returned therefor were substituted in the
bnnk. on arrival. for the Individual paper OF +,
l.. Harper. and paper which he controlled. The
end sought by the Government was TO prove by
Mr.. Hays testimony, despite the clrcumlocu-
ton through which the deal was carried on,
that the principal in the deal was f. l.. Harper;
and that no matter how many names, and by
how many different sorts OF negotiable paper
the deal was transacted, Il. J.. Harper furnished
the funds 20 purchase the wheat, which funds
were abstracted from the Fidelity Bank and di.
Mr. Hays examination was confined TO the
charges and items which make up the third md
fourth counts OF the Indictment against Harper,
including his transactions with the First Ma
tional and Chemical National Bank OF New
York. He traced carefully through the books
OF the Fidelity Bank the ticket Of February
l2 for 100000 which charged the First Ma
tionnl Bank OF New York with &00.Oo0 and
credited f. L Harper's account in the Fidelity
with the same amount; also, like item for
saL0O O0l dated February o. which charged the
First National with SA0,O00 and credited r. l..
Harpers account with like sum: also the
item OF March IL, which charged the First Ma
tional Bank with s1O00n, marked Transfer
funds credit cash. but which was, however,
credited to Harper's account; also n charge,
dated March 2,for san000O TO the Chemical bank,
which was credited to Harper's account. Mr..
Hays testified that he had carefully examined
Harper's account. and found that oil these
sums had been credited TO him on the books OF
the Fidelity; that he had examined the accounts
OF tile First National and Chemical banks but
found that on the dates mentioned there was no
money In either OF these banks subject to the
drafts OF the Fidelity, In the case OF the Chem
ical bank he found that that hank had cred
tied the Fidelity with S3OO0D0 on q certificate OF
deposit for that amount, Of which certificate.
however. there was no entry on the books OF
tho Fidelity.
CINCINNATI. Dec. s.-The witnesses examined
to-day were: Mr.. Frank NJ, Hays, the Treasury
Department Expert Accountant and Mr.. How
ard Eekcrt. Joe Wilshires partner Mr.. Hays
examination by Mr.. Burnct was brief, occupy.
ing but twenty minutes. He was not crossex.
nmined unless two questions as TO dates of
drafts put by Judge Wilson can be considered
in the light OF cross-exnmination. Mr.. Hays
concluded his testimony MS 10 the details of the
account OF +. L. Harper with Irwin, Green &
Co. and Kcrshaw s Co.
Mr. Ecliert was on the stand several hours,
and during all that time he was subjected to u
running fire OF questions by Major Blackburn,
the cross-examiner Mr. Eckert's memory was
not very satisfactory TO the counsel for the ac-
cused. and Major Blackburn made 1t quite un-
comfortable for the witness while he was on the
stnnd.
When Mr.. Ecllcrt retired, Judge Jackson ask
ed II there was any other testimony TO be pre-
sonted. He was informed that the Government
was through Then Judge Wilson asked that
Major Blackburn and himself be allowed tho re-
mainder of the day TO discuss their case. This
wns granted. The Government then stated,
that they would seek for conviction on thirty
three counts, five OF the remaining twenty-f1ur
in the indictment being defective, and the
other nineteen not being desirable. Court
then adjourned until tomorrow morning at
10 o'clock.
CINCINNATI, Dec 9-This morning f. L.
Harper against the advice OF his counsel wife
and friends, took the stand and testified In his
own behalf. The ex-hnnncier seated himself
comfortably in his chair and waited for his
counsel's questions. Some very remarkable
features were noticeable IN Hnrpers style and
conduct He was very eager to answer and his
remarks were addressed directly to the jury,
with whom he triedat once to get on terms OF
intimacy. In his desperation or enthusiasm he
several times attempted TO argue matters TO
them, until interrupted by Judge Jackson. Mr..
Harper did this so frequently that the court got
angry and roughly admonished him to stop that
line OF answering questions Instead of reply
ing to the interrogatorles OF Major blackburn
he would give his impressions and opinions OF
this and that matter connected with the case.
Mr.. Harper's defense was TO shift oil the re-
sponsibillty on Wiltshire, whom he said had led
him (Iiarperl into loaning money TO carry on
the wheat deal. In the face OF oil tho checks
n,a othor avidanra nuninat him thu firlson-r